Bachelor of Fine Arts in Visual Arts

The Bachelor of Fine Arts with a major in visual arts is a professional degree that equips students with expertise in their area of focus that will better prepare them for graduate school and employment opportunities as an artist within creative industries.

The areas of focus in the B.F.A. in Visual Arts are: Ceramics & Sculpture; Digital Arts; Drawing & Painting; Graphic Design; Photography; and Printmaking and Paper Arts. (Please note: the area of focus does not appear in the degree title, and all graduates of the program receive a B.F.A. in Visual Arts.)

This is the preferred degree for those intending to go on for graduate studies in art. This program is competitive and only accepts a limited number of students. Students can apply for the program through the Visual Arts (B.F.A.) special application process.

The degree has 78-credit-hours in studio art and art history coursework with a particular focus on one area of study. The semester before beginning senior year (90-credit-hours), students are required to pass senior review.

During the last semester of the senior year, students must have a senior capstone exhibition and produce their senior exhibition.

Leaders in Georgia Education

The University of North Georgia is part of the University System of Georgia and is designated as a State Leadership Institution and The Military College of Georgia. With about 20,000 students, the University of North Georgia is one of the state's largest public universities. Positioned in the fastest-growing region of the state, UNG comprises five campuses united by a single mission focused on academic excellence and academic and co-curricular programs that develop students into leaders for a diverse and global society.

History of UNG

In early 2012, the University System of Georgia's Board of Regents recommended the consolidation of North Georgia College & State University, which was founded in 1873 in Dahlonega, Georgia, and Gainesville State College, which was founded in 1964 in Gainesville, Georgia. The consolidation became official on January 8, 2013, creating the University of North Georgia (UNG), with four campuses across northeast Georgia.

In August 2015, UNG opened an additional campus in Blue Ridge, Georgia, to serve students in the northernmost region of the state.

As a regional multi-campus institution and premier senior military college, UNG is unique in the range of educational pathways it offers students. From associate degrees to graduate-level programs, UNG provides an array of opportunities to help develop students into leaders for a diverse and global society. One of only six federally-designated senior military colleges in the nation, the university carries the distinction of The Military College of Georgia and its nationally recognized Army ROTC program attracts students from across the state, region, and nation. Additionally, UNG is designated by the University System of Georgia as a State Leadership Institution and has earned the Community Engagement Classification from the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching.

Our Culture

The University of North Georgia is a community of students, faculty, staff, alumni, and friends who are committed to educational excellence, leadership development, and community engagement.

UNG's institutional values – excellence, student-focus, integrity, engagement, and service – are essential to our identity and mission of preparing students to become leaders in a diverse and global society. UNG's culture reinforces that commitment and our role as responsible stewards of the resources and responsibilities with which we are entrusted.

Our Vision

The University of North Georgia will be a regional and national leader for academic excellence, engagement, educational opportunity, and leadership development.

Our Mission

The University of North Georgia, a regional multi-campus institution and premier senior military college, provides a culture of academic excellence in a student-focused environment that includes quality education, service, inquiry, and creativity. This is accomplished through broad access to comprehensive academic and co-curricular programs that develop students into leaders for a diverse and global society. The University of North Georgia is a University System of Georgia leadership institution and is The Military College of Georgia.

Our Values

• Excellence - Promoting standards of performance and accountability that exceed expectations
• Student-focus - Facilitating success and educational goal attainment for all students and fostering a welcoming environment that values and reflects diversity and inclusion.
• Integrity - Cultivating in ourselves and in others the willingness and steadfastness to act honestly and ethically
• Engagement - Promoting active involvement, intellectual inquiry and creativity, collaboration, and community partnership
• Service - Giving of oneself to enhance the life and richness of the university and all of its members, as well as the larger community